Quest The Reclamation of Vel Istra

[Selene Avar]

Selene stood in the middle of the half-ruined church, her gaze sweeping over the Dreadlords as they streamed into the halls.

The doors slammed shut behind the last of them, and a quick count showed that they had lost three of their number. Lips turned to a frown, and in the back of her head she admonished herself for underestimating whatever was lurking within this city.

Her expression shifted to one of listlessness as she turned around towards the altar of the church.

At the very end of the great hall stood a statue of a god, one that had once been worshiped by the people of Vel Istra; Anirius.

Selene had read of the ancient church people had once clung to. The stories of a god who not only created humanity, but shielded it from the creatures found beyond the light. Was that what these things were? The creatures Anirius had purged from the land?

Nonsense of course. The beliefs of uneducated fools.

An rueful smile touched her lips, and slowly she turned back towards the others. "I underestimated the creatures within this place."

Selene's voice reverberated through the broken walls of the church. It might have surprised some of the Apprentices to hear her admit such truth, but Selene knew better than to deny the truth. She stepped towards the Group of Dreadlords.

"I will not do so again." Collected within the shambled church were some of the greatest mages in all of Arethil, Selene intended to use them. "One of you has the power to locate the source of all this, the center where we must go."

Slowly her gaze flickered over the Dreadlords. Most liked to hide their powers, tuck away a secret or two just in case, but now was not the time for that. "Who will step up?"

 

[Ademar Acero]

It was, for some, spirit breaking to see three of their own lost to the horde of undead and demonic creatures that were outside these supposed holy walls. Ademar didn’t believe in any gods, leaving that for fools to indulge in such mythological faiths. Hopefully the rest of their group didn’t bend their knees and start praying for a miracle.

Unlike the others he wasn’t as wounded, only having scratches and insignificant dents on his armor. His magic allowed him to take beatings to such extremes. While the others were catching up on their breath he was thinking on how they can defeat these creatures, and if not, how can they escape here with their lives.

Then Selene spoke to all of them, recognizing the error she made in underestimating these supernatural forces and speaking of a power that could put an end to all of this. But who? Who could locate the source that caused such damnation across this ruined fortress?

No one had bothered to step up either because they didn’t have that power or were too “shy” to reveal their powers. Unacceptable. He wasn’t going to die because someone were too reluctant to reveal their capabilities.

“Well, which one of you fucks is our saving grace,” he demanded aggressively towards the group. He didn’t know much of his fellow Virak compatriot other than her rank, but he assumed Selene was potentially more...diplomatic than Ademar. Well, almost everyone was compared to him.

No answer.

He stepped forward, approaching a Third Rank Dreadlord and his hands went for his throat, choking him while lifting him up from the air.

“Is it you, you miserable little shit!”

 

[Wulfric]

Wulfric rushed out of the decaying house, and into the church. He kept his spear and shield ready for assault, but managed to evade any complications with the rising goblins, aided by the work of Drederick, @Florinthe, and Zana. As he rushed in he found a column, pushed on it a little to test it's strength, and began to lean on it to catch his breath. Sitting down would be to show weakness, that he wasn't ready for this sort of work. Leaning probably was too, but less so. So many things were going wrong. He had figured a job with many dreadlords would be easier. Pick off the easy work while they handled the big stuff, and try to show some initiative. Those blasted Necrodragons had put away idea of ease.

Wulfric listened as their commander, Selene addressed those remaining. As she spoke Wulfric did a quick count, they'd lost a little under a dozen men. So many years of training and Vel Anir funding gone. He counted himself lucky that he'd been a survivor. Perhaps that would be enough to show the higher ups he had some mettle, provided he continued to make it out.

Wulfric took a deep breath as a brief quiet hit the room. Ademar Acero who'd crushed the gates was agitated. His rage was showing, as he began screaming before gripping a lower level dreadlord by the throat, lifting him off the ground. A gulp went down Wulfric's neck. Tensions were rising.

"I . . I have no such talent for things, but my classmate Dredward might be able to." Wulfric stepped forward and motioned to Drederick Archanis. "During a training exercise in an abandoned ruin he managed to identify a curse and dispel it, allowing us to go forward."

In the moment of panic, Wulfric had abandoned tact, not only highlighting his lack of skill, but promoting another students. Drederick might not appreciate it, but the boy was quite headstrong. Wulfric got the feeling he thought he was better than all of the other students. Maybe he would appreciate Wulfric getting him attention. Or maybe he'd kill Wulfric after all this was over.

 

[Drederick]

"I . . I have no such talent for things, but my classmate Dredward might be able to."

Drederick had just nicely regained his breath and had wiped the sweat from his brow when Wulfric has so foolishly dispensed with information that was not quite his to divulge. Slits were his eyes as he glared at him, citing the occasion he'd harnessed dark magic to undo a curse - and quite easily at that. But this scenario was much, much more... complex.

Little more than a frown was offered to Wulfric, but really... he couldn't have expected much more. He supposed he too would take little issue in doing something similar, if it suited him.

He cast a just fucking try it look to Ademar - hardly ignorant of his throttling of the apprentice just several pues down - before stepping forward, regarding Selene appropriately.

"That was a much different case, hardly anything of this... scope," he looked to Selene, the contempt he bore for the others nonexistant on his features, "but if I can cast the proper spells... I will need a few moments."

His gaze traveled just past Selene, beholding the great statue of stone. That will do nicely...

"And a... volunteer."

His eyes slowly turned to Wulfric, and a smile crept across his face.

 

[Evangeline]

Getting inside the church had been an easy feat in and of itself; it was making sure as many others could make it in as well that was difficult. The other higher level Dreadlords cared little for their subordinates beyond directing them where to go, but numbers would be vital if this campaign was to be a success. She had utilized her speed to carry a number who had fallen behind into the relative safety of this cathedral, and she was pleased to see the pair of Luana Dreadlords had also made it in seemingly unscathed. Now, however, her fellow Second Level was throttling one without reason.

“Is it you, you miserable little shit!”

"Ademar!" She snapped at the hulking man, unsheathing her bastard sword. She had little patience and even less tolerance for such brutish, unnecessary acts. "Drop. Him. Now."

Evangeline was perfectly aware of the great beast's strength, but it meant little here. If he retaliated he would likely be incinerated by Selene, who had shown in the past that she had even less patience for insubordination.

"These men and women already fear for their lives. Do you believe that fear of you will encourage them? No..." She turned her attention the the First Level and continued. "Lady Selene, if it is a scout that you require, then I volunteer. There is no need to send a lamb to the wolves."

She eyed Drederick as she finished. A volunteer was indeed a necessity, but an apprentice was not an ideal one. Typical Academy-taught malice. Shameful.

 

[Florinthe Othal]

Florinthe kept her attention half-focused on the discussion within the Church. She had some minor successes as a sensor, although that didn't extend to detecting magic, equally her knack came and went as it pleased - with no rhyme or reason. Instead, she checked her weapon selection and settled on one of her favoured battle spears. Once content with her armament, she moved to help a couple of the injured Dreadlords. She carried few medical supplies within her satchel, and she only knew basic first aid, but she could at least assist in some patching up.

In one instance, she even cauterised a wound with a small burst of lightning. Painful, for both of them, but it held.

Once she reared her head again, focusing on the situation around her fully, she noticed Wulfric and the apprentice he had singled out. Good. Apprentices often kept their magic close to their chest, even in situations as dire as this, sometimes it was good to have a friend to kick you up the arse and remind you of your duties. She nodded, smiling briefly towards Wulfric.

The standoff between Evangeline and Ademar had amused her - although she'd taken care not to display as much on her face. He was a brute, a lug, a knuckle-dragger. He had the grace and decorum of a gong farmer and smelled almost as bad.

"I can accompany you, Evangeline, it shouldn't be too hard for me to keep the flying creatures off our backs." She inhaled deeply. It was rare for her to volunteer for such a task, but she simply couldn't stand around the caveman much longer.

 

[Zana]

Zana leaned against the door and listened to Selene and the others... bickering. Even people from the same House seemed to turn on each other after her question muttering about this gift or that gift that might help them out in this situation. Nobody turned to her and she stuck to the shadow debating whether this was the moment she chose to step into the light. They probably wouldn't question how she found out this information - not in this setting. Not here. They were scared. Fear was an oppressive fog that writhed and clung to people. It was making tensions run high. Everybody wanted this job to be other with. Nobody had signed up to... this level of hell.

Zana's eyes flicked to the Apprentice, Drederick, who had been rudely put forward and a part of her sympathised with him. If she were Wulfric she would sleep with one eye open for the foreseeable future. Evangeline was right - it was not right to send a lamb to the slaughter. They also couldn't trust an Apprentice's magic. Her eyes screwed shut as she warred with herself. Would they question how she did it? As long as she did it? Cursing under her breath she pushed herself forward into the front of the ring that faced Selene.

"I too might be able to find the source," her hands clasped behind her back as she stood to attention. She held back that she had already seen it. The nightmarish face of it had haunted her into the early hours of the morning. "I just need one of the creatures alive."

 

[Wulfric]

Wulfric scowled underneath his helmet as he and Drederick Archanis were spoken of like second-class citizens. Talked around like they weren't present, or children told to hold their tongues.

"We've lost good men today. Not just apprentices either. Everyone whose made it to this church has made it through the 'wolves'. There's no cause for us to turn away any soldier's strengths."

Wulfric turned his helmet to gaze at his classmate Dredward.

"I'm ready." He said with conviction, not bothering to ask what was needed. Duty demanded service regardless.

 

[Drederick]

Drederick ignored the others. It was inconsequential what they said or believed or otherwise. Quite frankly he didn't even really care what Selene thought either, but he would not act without her consent. He had no real desire to unveil just exactly what magics he had developed under his own guidance, but he to defy Selene just now was not at all in his best interest. It was her call, and that suited Drederick just fine.

"I'm ready."

His smile had since faded to the usual empty look he offered, but a glint of excitement flashed across his eyes. His methods would of course likely be painful, but he had no intention of harming his fellow apprentice. At least not for the meantime.

"If I am successful than the only danger there will be is to whatever is at the center of these cursed things," and he nodded to the statue, "and that will lead us to it."

He imagined the thought of following behind a giant statue of stone to withstand the brunt of those wretched things outside would be an enticing prospect.

 

[Selene Avar]

A smile of amusement flickered over Selenes face. It was not often that Dreadlord volunteered themselves for what might as well be a suicide mission. She couldn't help but wonder at their motives, though at least one of them she knew was genuine in their offer.

House Pirian had a...smugness to them, but at least they were honest.

"Ademar, calm yourself." Selene said with a wave of her hand. The boy was always rather overzealous, something she witnessed even when he'd been at the Academy. Still, he had his value and she would be sure to make use of it before this was all over

For now though, she needed peace among the ranks.

"Let the Apprentices do what they can, it's rare there is an opportunity to prove themselves." From what she could tell Dredericks magic would not require anyone to leave, and if it did, there was value in allowing someone of lesser worth throw away their life. "Cast your ritual, Apprentice."

She motioned to the center of the fallen church. "Everyone else, protect them as we go."

They needed to know where to go before scouting, and if the Apprentices failed...well then she would turn to Zana.

 

[Drederick]

Drederick nodded his head, and then proceeded toward the altar to stand before the great statue. It wasn't terribly enormous, but well large enough to be of some additional use along their way.

He beckoned Wulfric along with him, to come stand at his side before the statue. While they stood, Drederick examined it for a moment, gauging how much would be required to animate this creature.

He pursed his lips, and then abruptly drew forth a knife from his hip. He began to chant, using words that sounded pleasant, but carried an unnatural discomfort. A cold crept around him, and what light there was around him and Wulfric seemed to dull. He removed the glove from his free hand, and grasped the blade of his knife with it, turning to Wulfric, chanting all the while.

He slowly slid the blade across his skin, and once it was free he clenched his hand tight. His blood crept up between his fingers, and he held his hand out between them for a few drops to hit the ground between him. Then, he opened his palm and where the wounds should have been there instead was a dreadful symbol, glowing red.

He slammed his palm against Wulfric's chest with a force that just should not have been. But before he could even be budged, a dark hand of shadow abruptly rose up from the ground and grasped him tightly. This caused a long breath to be drawn from Wulfric, and from that long, arduous breath came a white smoke from deep within. It came forth as a great cloud, and rose up to be seemingly inhaled by the statue.

Once this had been done, the dark hand disappeared, and Drederick's own was removed from Wulfric's chest, neither the symbol or the cuts present.

He looked up to the statue, and after a few breaths a gentle cracking could be heard coming from the stone figure, and dust began to shed from its joints.

 

[Ademar Acero]

Did Ademar release the Dreadlord when Evangeline ordered him to do so? No, he did not. They were equal in rank and if she wanted him to release the Dreadlord, she’d have to force him. A challenge he would welcome and entertain. It wasn’t until Selene spoke he let the Dreadlord go, the other fellow falling to the ground and gasping for air trembling in fear as he probably thought he’d lose his life. If it wasn’t for his throttling, then perhaps Wulfric wouldn’t have spoken and unveil what his fellow Apprentice could do to help.

Their lives at stake and trusting an Apprentice? They might as well drop dead and hope it would fool the undead horde outside of the church.

If this failed, then there was something Ademar could do. Time would tell if he was needed to perform that.

To his surprise the Apprentice, Drederick, seemed to be performing a ritual before the altar. How symbolic, and with his companion as an assistant. Blood was drawn and the price to enact his magic was paid as the magic being performed seemed to be dark and pervasive. Whatever it was it seemed to move the giant statue as it made large creaks and cracks.

Impressive to spectate, truly.

 

[Selene Avar]

Selene cast a glance towards the statue as it began to move, ancient dust and small bits of rock shifting as the form of the once Anirian God began to move.

She stepped to the side slowly as the massive man of stone stepped towards the exit of the church, her eyebrow raising towards the Apprentice. That was unexpected.

The Dreadlord thought to herself for a brief moment as the statue pushed on the sealed double doors of the church. For a second it struggled, and then the heavy wood laced with steel crashed apart. Beyond it was one of the flying creature, it's maw already open. Before it could bite however the statue struck out, it's fist slamming into the creature followed by a slamming of it's foot.

Within half a second the demon shattered into bits, it's bones thrashed apart.

Not a second passed before the statue stepped out of the church, it's foot steps shaking the ground as it returned to the roads of Vel Istra.

"Follow that thing." Selene said sternly. "Stay close together."

They would have to if they wanted to survive.

 

[Drederick]

Drederick watched as the statue began to lumber forth. His mouth stiffened as he nodded approvingly at his work, pleased to see the animation break free from its holy prison. As it made short work of the winged beast, discernable to the keen eye did a similar mist rise up from the broken heap of it. It too found the statue's "nostrils."

Then, its head turned it a particular direction, its body following after. It would not needlessly pummel its way through larger obstacles such as buildings, but anything else in its path would be as good as dust.

The spell he used would sustain the Anirian god for the duration of its task - beyond that Drederick would either have to forsake it, or offer it a little more. He would cross that bridge when it came.

As for Wulfric, his recovery in the aftermath of the ritual would be akin to catching one's breath after several leagues of continuous sprinting. He would be just fine. However, he may find his life come to an abrupt halt a good five or so years before he'd likely expect it.

"Follow that thing." Selene said sternly. "Stay close together."

Indeed, he wholly agreed. In the face of the numerous enemies that barred their way, that statue was the closest thing they had to invulnerability - for now.

 

[Evangeline]

For all the utterly terrible crimes against humanity the Academy was guilty of committing, they certainly knew how to properly raise a mage. To think that a mere apprentice would possess such incredible, raw power...while impressive, the thought of what he must've had to endure disgusted her. She had been prepared to heal Wulfric's wound post-ritual, but the gash had already healed itself. Blood magic was such a strange practice...

As the statue lumbered forth, Evangeline heard Selene's call to action. This was markedly slower and would certainly draw far more attention than sending a pair of high level Dreadlords out to scout the situation out, but she would not defy the First Level's orders now.

Eva marched alongside her fellows, sword drawn. Would this really be enough to keep the decrepit fiends from assailing their force? How many would she be able to save if this went south? Somehow this plan put her more on edge than ever.

 

[Florinthe Othal]

Florinthe glanced at Zana briefly, mouthing a silent exclamation towards her comrade. She'd never seen reanimation before, it was quite an interesting prospect. She wondered, curiously, what else that apprentice would be capable of.

She decided not to dwell on the matter and followed close behind Evangeline and Zana. Florinthe wielded her favourite combat spear and kept her eyes on the sky. Something was dwelling above them, something evil and cruel, yet all she had was her gut to rely on. So she decided it best to leave her suspicions as just that.

"So, Zana, still mad?" She spoke nervously, nudging her friend with the butt of her spear.

 

[Zana]

As soon as she was dismissed Zana slid back into the shadows with a relieved sigh. So this was where the statue came from in some of her visions: she wondered how it was due to get from here into the depths of the horrors they were about to face. Catching Flor's expression she couldn't help but for a moment forget about that, a flicker of amusement crossing her expression as she enjoyed Flor's joy at seeing new magic. Sometimes she forgot just how young she was.

As Evangeline strode past the door Zana slid into the column and unsheathed her sword so that it was ready. Not that the statue seemed to need their help in the slightest. The Dreadlord's lips twisted slightly. She debated seeing if she could get a vision off the carcass but then Flor nudged her with the butt of her spear and the thought was gone.

"Oh yeah," she gave her friend a dark smile. "You're going to be wishing you had been squashed under that rubble at training tomorrow."

 

[Selene Avar]

Selene was last in the column.

She decided to hold up the rear as a way of assurance. The others could hold themselves together just fine, and it seemed the statue was more than capable of leading them. So she would head up the rear and guard the backs of everyone else.

A Knight might have seen it as a noble gesture, but for Selene it was simple pragmatism. Ostensibly she was the most powerful of them, so she was the best to guard their rear.

Before long her decision began to pay off.

From all around them skittering began to echo. The sounds of legs stabbing at broken stone and the flapping of wings. From the corner of her eyes she could see them. Decrepit and mutilated abominations, twisted beings crawling from within Vel Istra itself.

They seemed to watch and linger for a moment, and then as the Column passed out into the open, they all struck at once.

Horrid amalgamations of flesh and bone struck out from within the earth, sharp skewers stabbing out and catching a Dreadlord right in front of her in the knee. The man's scream echoed out, and with a slice of her hand Selene cut the bone.

Ahead of them demons rushed out once more, the winged beasts swooping low to break the column.

 

[Drederick]

Drederick perhaps did not show it, but his ego grew with each step the statue took. Each heavy footfall was a proclaimation of his success, and he quite enjoyed it. But he was aware that while he took great pride in it, the others would likely not.

An invisible pat on his own back.

But, he would quickly learn that celebrating too early was an absolutely fool thing to do. Yes, the statue guarded their front, and Selene guarded their back. But what guarded their sides?

The thought would come to him far too late.

The skewers broke out from the ground, one driving itself up right between the buckle of his shield and his arm - trapping him there. He wrenched at it to no avail, but rather than sheathing his sword to loose the buckle he swung his sword at a winged beast to ward it off, and then a forceful swing down at one of the land bound monsters, driving his sword deep into its skull.

He pulled it free, and swung again at another coming near.

The statue, meanwhile, would engage anything to come in its path. But such was the spell, it would not return to help. It was but a guide, not a true escort.

 

[Ania]

Ania stood near the apprentice who had re-animated the statue. She was positive that most apprentices were, well, complete fools. Many of the ones here hadn't declared for a house yet and if they couldn't even get that figured out how could you trust them to fell these vile abominations within Vel Istra.

It proved that, unsurprisingly, Ania's hunch about these children was correct. The one called Drederick that had animated the stone giant leading their column had allowed himself to be pinned to the ground by the hundred beasts piling in against the dreadlords. Several swift strikes of Ania's blade left half a dozen bloodied and limbless in a few embarrassing places.

She cleaved a path towards the child, grabbing at his shoulder and lifting him up. Truthfully she could care less if he died but she worried that with his death the giant stone golem he had created might cease movement as well. And failure was something the pale warrior wasn't accustomed to.

"On your feet, we need to move," she ordered the apprentice as she turned from him and began slashing at some of the other fleshy ghouls before them. A group of seven or so were placed under her magic and they began writhing in a seething pain she fed through their nervous system.

 

[Ademar Acero]

It wasn't surprising to see another wave of demons and undead creatures in overwhelming numbers attacking them once more when the group of Dreadlords left the safe haven of the abandoned church with this statue as taking point. Was the plan to make a spear right through the ranks of these monsters? That would be a great plan for escaping their lives, not for going head on and trying to find the cause that cursed this place. Not only did they have to worry what was on top of the earth, but also what was below it as skewers and knives rapidly attacked at the Dreadlords.

This statue could break the ranks, but it would be too slow to intercept every attack especially when the group was encircled and the statue didn't take their lives into consideration as it focused on attacking these demons. It was some help at least and could tackle many things, just not all of it.

There was something Ademar could do.

The Well.

Elise had gifted him a new source of magic for him to use. He had yet to try it, but it was said it could increase his powers by tenfold for a limited amount of time. And its cost? Unknown to him. Should he use it?

He decided against it...for now.

What he did do was absorb the earth below him to shield his skin, but also use a new application of his magic. Something he developed and discovered in his leave time. What he learned was that he could not just only use his magic to layer his skin, use its properties, and enhance whatever complex structure on his body; he could also manipulate elements. Those skeleton arms from beneath them with their skewers? Amputated as Ademar commanded the earth to rumble and fill the gaps of the terrain, thus severing the bones of the dead. They wouldn't need to worry about their ankles and knees suffering, but they did need to worry about that horde charging them.

 

[Florinthe Othal]

"Haha, bring i-" Her words were interrupted as the abominations began to stir and the earth around them suddenly erupted with corpulent beings. She glanced back curiously towards Zana, a wicked smile suddenly erupting on her face - as if daring the fellow Dreadlord.

Her attention drifted away from Zana as she watched the abominations break out of the ground before her. The enemies were either dumb or confident, using the same tactic as they had against the group when they had approached the city. The difference, however? This time the Dreadlords weren't surrounded by the thick endless soggy mire as they had been previously.

She breathed a deep and long inhalation. Florinthe kicked off the balls of her feet and sprinted, partly away, from the group, and tried to gather the attention of several abominations at once. Each tendril, each appendage, every touch of rotten skin was met with a powerful zap. Lightning coursed through the body of Florinthe and burned the flesh any abomination foolish to go for her.

Several of the creatures, still sizzling from their failed assaults, followed the young Dreadlord as she led them to an open clearing partly away from the group. Florinthe shot a knowing, almost smug, look towards Zana and carefully began to summon gales of intense wind around her spear.

The wind around her howled and roared, being forcefully dragged, warped and contorted around her spear. The weapon began to rise from her palm, twisting and rotating at an impossible speed as the wind around it collected into a miniature, and visible, vortex. With each step, the creatures drew closer, with each passing minute the winds rose in intensity.

Suddenly, and without warning, the spear shot off independently from Florinthe's palm. The form of the weapon disappeared into a grey blur as the projectile of metal and air pierced through the bodies of the abominations that had followed her. The bodies rattled and exploded as the missile blew apart the beasts as the winds shore off the rotten flesh with ease. As ever, Florinthe's hand moved subtlely at her side, directing the spear at her whim and rejecting its trajectory to strike all of the unfortunate bestial creatures.

Once her followers had been destroyed, her hand splayed, the wind returned to the atmosphere and the spear disintegrated into nothingness. The force of the winds having rendered it dust.

 

[Zana]

Zana watched in bemusement as Flor pelted off. She was about to turn her attention to the matter of the creatures who were clawing their way out of the ground again when the pain ripped through her mind and drove her to her knee with a hiss. She tried to push it back down but slowly the image in front of her of her hand on the ground jerked, jutted, then fizzled out to be replaced with

He strode through the shadows with eyes full of a lust for blood and destruction. It had been so long since souls had walked so willingly into his realm. She could feel his hunger in her bones. He would tear them apart limb from limb and drink deep, sate himself in the taste of their fear and anguish. Of course he could take them now but the more they fought the more they gave themselves hope the harder they would fall when it came to meeting him and their unavoidable demise.

As they ran at him he cut them down but he took it slow. He pinned one with a claw through the leg and used the music of her cries to drag another who turned to flee through the bloody rubble and up to the gaping maw of his mouth. There was a sickening crunch as he ripped one limb at a time as if tearing flesh from a cooked chicken leg. The magic they hurled only fuelled his desire to see them all consumed. With their power he would have enough... enough to push beyond this ruins and further his demonic kingdom...

Zana took a deep breath in. The screaming from her vision followed her hear and then she realised it was the sounds of the woman next to her who was writhing on the floor as one of the abominations dragged her down beneath the ground. Rapidly blinking Zana dove forward to grab the woman's hand with something wrapped around her own foot and yanked her legs out from under her. With a grunt she hit the ground and then found herself rapidly being pulled backwards. Twisting at the waist she glanced down to the wretched thing crawling on three legs towards a hole in the ground. With a flick of her wrist she sent a bit of rubble into the ride of the creatures head causing it to shriek and let go. Now on her feet Zana finished it off with a slash of her blade then leaned heavily on it panting.

The vision had taken it out of her.

 

[Evangeline]

Any worries she had before were seemingly unfounded. The Dreadlords of Vel Anir rallied around the titanic golem and repelled their attackers with exceptional efficiency.

Magic lashed out in every direction, wind, lightning, earth, fire, and every element in between. It was a wonderful symphony of destructive power which lit up the night like a devastating fireworks display. Evangeline could hardly find anything to do with how much work the rest of the group was putting forth in repelling the assailing demons, but find things she did.

Amid the chaos of battle and torrent of grand blasts being unleashed this way and that, a fiend would occasionally break the line and get too close to the group for comfort. The Second Level's unmatched speed enabled her to quickly repel or strike down any demon that did so. She diligently protected the perimeter as the force marched towards their destination.

The fortress ahead loomed ominously, darkened storm clouds gathering around it as though drawn by some supernatural force. That pit in Evangeline's stomach returned in force the closer they drew to it. The source, to be sure. She could already see more of these fell creatures perching upon its battlements, many significantly larger and more robust in appearance than their brethren. They shrieked to the sky and looked down upon the Dreadlords' march like some sort of hellborne choir. The source of the madness lay ahead.

 

[Drederick]

There may have been some desperation there. Briefly. As the monsters closed in around him, and he continued to wrench his shield free to no avail, it seemed as though this might have been the end for him. But of course, his design would not allow him to perish quite so frivolously. One of the higher Dreadlords had been impressed to come to his aid - no doubt a fail safe from his ultimate authority before his enrobing of flesh. Of course a God would be aware of such possible mistakes. He was, for the time being, only human.

So Ania grabbed him, and hoisted him up and the spike slid out from between his arm and shield. Freed.

"On your feet, we need to move,"

A wry smile came across his face, and he nodded to her with a sinister glee. He would remember her assistance - and ignore the tone. This time.

Invigorated by a growing sense of immunity, he laughed and struck out with his sword, severing one beast in half and another's head from its shoulder. He turned, and shot lighting from his sword into the underside of a winged beast swooping overhead. It fell and rolled into a heap on the ground, smashing into several of its kindred beasts.

The statue meanwhile encroached on the fortress. A winged beast attacked it, and in its hand reached out and ensnared the creature. With a lazy, and slow clench it crushed the creature in its hand, and then let it drop as a trail of severed broken bones in its wake. Others slashed and banged at its ankles, only to be crushed or kicked. But there was no reaction from it, no impressions of any sentience. Its head, fixed forward, and its attacks directed only at those before it, and those that attacked it.

It ascended to the gatehouse of the fortress.

Boom.

Boom.
​

Its tremendous fist began to slam against the gate. Already it began to split, but a moment was indeed neccesary. Creatures began to attack it, winged beasts landing on its back and ground bound monsters attempting to scale it.

Drederick laughed at the sight, slashing and hacking his way toward his minion. But their presence, and their weight upon the stone figure, slowed it. They sought to stay its fists, and delay their entry within.

And the whispers started in his mind.

Soon... he would need to make a choice.